Possible logo for Microsoft retail stores revealed

Microsoft has put together a logo, which bears much resemblance to the Windows …

On July 28, Microsoft filed for the logo of its upcoming retail stores (pictured on the side) in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, as first reported by istartedsomething. As of publishing time, the status of the filing was "Newly filed application, not yet assigned to an examining attorney."

Microsoft wants the design to be able to appear on various goods and services including "retail store services and online retail services featuring computers, computer hardware, software, computer games, computer peripherals, portable music players and accessories, personal digital assistants, cell phones and accessories, video game consoles and accessories, webcams, books, clothing, back packs, messenger bags, computer bags and novelty items." The filing describes the logo, which bears much resemblance to the Windows and Office logos, as follows:

The mark consists of four squares arranged in a rectangular grid. Each square is colored to form three square-shaped regions within the square, with the color of each region gradating from dark to light toward the center of the design. The upper left square design is red, the lower left square is blue, the upper right square is green and the lower right square is yellow. The squares are separated by blank space.

The same day that Microsoft made the filing, the company announced it was opening up one store in Scottsdale, Arizona and one in Mission Viejo, California. Redmond refused to give details on other retail locations, though the company did say it plans to open stores outside the US eventually.

Just last week prototypes and concepts for the Microsoft Store leaked to the Web. In February 2009, Microsoft first confirmed that it would be opening retail stores this fall and that the software giant had hired David Porter as corporate vice president of Retail Stores.

Arguably, it's something that people will recognize. Both the Office and Windows brands use variations on 4 squares in yellow/green/blue/red. Except the office logo definitely doesn't use the same quadrants/same colours.

Has anyone yet figured out what Microsoft is going sell in their stores? Microsoft-care? Packages of resentment towards Apple's retail success? Hard to say what the price for that would be, but it looks like it's going to cost Microsoft a bundle.

They probably should've put like a 15º lean in it to give it a 'going forward' effect. Boy; It sounds like MS is really changing. They are finally picking that 'rotting fruit' of theirs off the vine: a whole make over. I haven't heard too much about 'the red ring of death' from their xbox lately. And even Zune looks rather good. Maybe Steve B. is on [to] something. Maybe Bill was just holding them back. I don't know but they needed to do something to get the tongues wagging positively. Regardless, I still won't be buying any Wintel machines, just the software since I would need it for work.